Let’s soak. The west half of the USA offers a variety of natural hot springs, from resorts with bubbling pools to remote hot springs accessible by snowmobile or dogsled. Find out which hot springs offer Mother Nature’s best wellness experience.
Iron Mountain Hot Springs, CO
The average water temperature is 96-108°F.
Travel 180 miles west from Denver on Interstate 70 through the Rocky Mountains to reach Glenwood Springs, the fastest route to the hot springs.
Overlooking the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs, Iron Mountain Hot Springs provides a more intimate and diverse soaking experience than the nearby Glenwood Hot Springs Resort. There are 16 geothermal mineral soaking pools (ages 5 and up) connected by heated walkways for your own adventure. If your kids are younger, try the 100°F family pool and jetted spa.
These springs supply all of the property’s mineral pools without chemicals. Mother Lode, the hottest mineral pool, reaches 108°F (each pool has markers indicating heat intensity). Touch your toes in reflexology pools with smooth river rocks. For the best views, visit the Garnet and Diamond pools, which have infinity edges and hang over the river like you’re soaking.
Homestead Crater, Utah
The average water temperature is 90-96°F.
To reach the hot springs, drive 51 miles southeast of Salt Lake City to Homestead Crater Mineral Dome, which takes less than an hour.
Utah’s Homestead Crater offers the most diverse on-site hot spring experiences, despite moderate temperatures (maximum 96°F). Enjoy a variety of activities at the hot springs, including scuba diving, snorkeling, and SUP yoga in the natural limestone dome.
Geothermal waters with naturally occurring calcium and sodium bicarbonate soothe muscles and promote relaxation, making it an otherworldly wellness destination. The crater’s top hole lets in sunlight and fresh air, making for stunning photos.
Arizona Castle Hot Springs
Water temperature averages 115°F, with pools in the 85-106°F range.
Get to the hot springs quickly by driving 55 miles northwest of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, about an hour away.
Castle Hot Springs in the Bradshaw Mountains, an hour from Phoenix, has drawn tourists and Indigenous peoples for centuries with its healing waters within a scenic canyon. An all-inclusive luxury wellness resort, this destination is worth an overnight stay for its nighttime stargazing, thrilling via ferrata course, and 24-hour access to mineral hot springs that cascade across three pools of varying temperatures.
The geothermal hot springs, which are only open to resort guests, are rich in calcium, nerve-calming magnesium, and lithium, the “happy mineral” for mood-stabilizing properties. Amidst towering saguaro cacti, palms, and layers of weathered rock colored purple and rusty red from the spring’s minerals, soak.
Chena Hot Springs, AK
Outdoor pools typically have an average water temperature of 106°F.
To reach Chena Hot Springs quickly, fly to Fairbanks and drive or take the resort shuttle 62 miles northeast.
Alaska naturally beckons for hot spring exploration in the US. One of the most famous hot springs in Alaska is Chena Hot Springs, located 150 miles south of the Arctic Circle near Fairbanks. If you visit from late August to late April, you may catch the northern lights while soaking.
An indoor pool has cooler waters, but the steamier outdoor wading lake with geothermal waters without chemicals and boulders is the most beautiful. You can push along the sandy bottom or stroll the lake until you find the right temperature.
Colorado Avalanche Ranch Hot Springs
Average pool temperature: 93-104°F.
To reach Avalanche Ranch Hot Springs fast, drive 208 miles (4 hours) west of Denver International Airport.
This legendary hot springs resort in Colorado’s Crystal River Valley offers day trips and overnight stays in charming cabins, including the Chuck Wagon, which sleeps two and sits on wheels. Located in the White River National Forest, Avalanche Ranch Hot Springs features three hot-spring pools of varying sizes that cascade waterfall-like down the mountainside. You can use the pools and hot springs 24/7 if you stay at the property.